Climate disruption is upon us, and it is
shaping our lives and communities, ecosystems and natural resources, political systems and values, future generations and their needs, and the economy at many levels. How can we plan for this dramatic change? Can we cut our emissions of greenhouse gases, mitigate the damage in the atmosphere, and adapt to the changes? What is our moral imperative to act in each of these ways? Wally Broecker, the late renowned geologist, used the “climate beast” metaphor to capture the complexity and magnitude of the Earth’s climate and why it is so difficult for us to understand our impacts on it.

In this course, we will first explore the natural science of the atmosphere and its coupling to land and water, and then examine the myriad human impacts on climate in the past, today, and in the future. Based on the knowledge of this basic science and human impacts, we will delve into the environmental ethics of our actions and their consequences for future generations. Coupling environmental science and ethics provides us a tool for bridging our moral values and personal actions in addressing this critical problem of the century.

Reading material (25-30 pages weekly) will be on the web and provided by the instructor. Class discussion will be the norm, along with lectures for each of the eight classes. No previous background in environmental science or ethics is required.